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Feb 5, 2009

Update to the Thursday Abby Update...

Abby is doing worse this evening.

Her lungs have become “junky” and she is having a hard time breathing, and taking quick, choppy breaths. Her oxygen levels are down some. She has no immune system at all at this point. Her sores are worse today. Not sure what the docs are going to do, but we are watching her closely.

Without trying to over alarm or be melodramatic, it is COMPLICATIONS that are usual cause of death for kids in Abby’s situation. So every complication that arises at this point is very concerning.

God is in control and we rejoice in the opportunity to depend on Him and observe His mercy and goodness.

We appreciate your prayers. We appreciate you letting other people know to pray. We appreciate are blogger friends posting to their readers when they can. We’ll keep you updated.

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comments:

I will continue to pray for Abby as well as the family in general. It is my hope and prayer that God would continue to be merciful and pour out grace upon you all, as well as to use all of this to bring Himself honor and draw the lost to repentance.

As my eyes fill with tears over Abby's discomfort levels, my heart stayed fixed on the fact that God is in control. Please know that we are all praying for Abby and for each member of your family !Love,Linda

Brent and Michelle, My heart is breaking for you and for precious Little Miss Abby. I cannot imagine the pain that you are experiencing as you sit and watch helplessly as you precious child suffers.We all know in our head that God is completely in charge of Abby's future (as He is of all of ours) but it hurts our heart so very much. Of course I do not know you personally but I feel a real kinship and closeness to your family for I have followed Abby's blog for quite a while. I just wish I knew you and could be close enough to help . There is nothing that I can do or say BUT I can continue to pray.I cannot get ABBY off of my heart and out of my mind so I will pray that God will give you HIS PERFECT PEACE. Please give her a little kiss for me.God Bless,Ellen (GA)

I pray that God comforts Abby in this difficult time. I pray that God gives you and Michelle the strength and endurance you both need as such a trying time. Have faith knowing that LOTS of people are knocking on God's door asking for blessings over sweet Abby. May God take care of each and everyone of you.

Here is a prayer I prayed when my mom was sick with Cancer:Praying for Coping With CancerEver abiding One, I need you in my life now more than ever.Each day brings its own set of challenges for my vulnerable spirit and body.Help me to live with the conditions of my illness without giving in to discouragement or despair.Do not let the questions and the unknowns drown out the voice of your tender presence.Guide the physicians to make good decisions.Give me courage and wisdom to make my own good choices in treating this illness of mine.Teach me to embrace the gift of each new day and to give thanks or those who help me through the ups and downs of this process.Constantly assure me that You will not forsake me.You will be by my side, my Trusted Guardian. Help me walk the delicate balance of hope and surrender.

I read about Abby every day, and she is in my prayers daily as well. I will continue praying and asking others to join me. Michelle- I will pray for peace for you as you rock your precious daughter to sleep. I hope you feel the peace and grace of our almighty God wash over you. I am encouraged by your blog and by your unfaltering faith in our Lord. You have so obviously touched countless lives and I know God is using you to bring glory to His name. I am thinking of your family tongiht, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. You are not alone. Grace and Peace, Lindsey in California

Hey just checking in to see how Abby is doing. I check on her everyday and pray for your family all the time. Michelle,I hope you are doing ok. I can;t even imagine what you are going through watching your baby go through all this. Your faith in God is an amazing thing to watch and read about. Hang in there and continue to look to Him for your strentgh and refuge. God Bless you all

My thoughts and prayers are with you and Abby. Thank goodness they are giving her something for the pain. It is to bad that they can't give you something for the pain comming from the heart. I pray that God gives you comfort and strength for this very hard time.

I just came across Abby's story tonight, and I am so sorry for everything she is going through. We are going through a similar situation, and I am just now trying to figure out how to sort everything in my head about it.

A friend and I have gathered here in CA tonight to pray for 2 solid hours for Abby, your family, and her doctors. May Gods will be done and his plan be clear to you and Michelle, to ease your decision making and to comfort you.

Heavenly Father, We come to you with praise and thanksgiving for all the miracles that you bestow, and Right now, We lift little Abby before your throne and stand on the promises that you have given us. Thank you Jesus that you took Abby's infirmities and bore your sickness and pain. Thank you Jesus that you suffered for Abby. Therefore according to Your Word, we refuse to allow sickness and pain to dominate her little body. You said that your word is life, and that you would create the fruit of our lips, so right now as we speak, the life of God flows within her bringing healing to every fiber of her being. Father we resist the enemy in every form that he comes against Abby. Her body is strong and healthy in the name of Jesus. Abby shall live and declare the works of the Lord! In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen(scriptrual references: Matt.8:17, John 6:63, James 4:7, Isaiah 57:19,Psalm 118:17

If you are not already..Psalms 91 is an excellent scripture to quote, for those well or ill. We spoke it over our daughter constantly while she was sick and still do over our entire family regularly.

Dear Riggs Family, especially Abby, We are very sad to read tonights post. So sorry that Abby has continued to get worse. We Pray for comfort, peace and healing. We know that GOD is in control and we ask for Abby to be healed. We also know that He knows what is best for her. We Pray that He wraps His arms around all of you and holds you tight. We Pray for Abby!!!!!!!!!!!!Love and Prayers,Joyce and Nick

My heart and prayers are with all of you. But more important than that is that God's wonderful love and promises are with all of you - especially Abby. Psalm 91 says that "under His wings you may seek refuge" and "He will give His angels charge concerning you. To guard you in all your ways." That is so comforting. To know that God's wings are wrapped around Abby in comfort and strength.

Praying so hard tonight....Praying for wisdon for the Doctors, comfort, strength and peace for you and your family and especially comfort and restful sleep for Abby so that she may have the strength to keep fighting. Praying you continually feel Gods presence with you through this no matter what you face. Blessings

Heartfelt prayers for Abby and your family. I cannot begin to imagine how this must feel for all of you.

Heavenly Father, God of miracles, draw near to Abby and her family. Live and breathe in their lives. You alone are worthy of our praise. You alone can heal and restore life to Abby's body. We trust You alone. We trust your will. Amen.

God is so good. He has given Abby a wonderful family to walk this painful walk with her. I pray that you are all strengthened at this time and that you know the Lord's love, peace and healing. Annie,Australia.

I am continuing to pray for Abby and for your family. I have posted to my blog and am just getting started with Facebook (so i will post when I figure that out)

Michelle, it's such an awesome feeling that kids want their moms to rock them when they are sick. (This also takes a toll on mom.. because we just soo bad want to make them feel better) I am praying for strength for you through this trying time. Know that the comfort and love and endless rocking you are giving Abby means everything to her. I am praying for a quick recovery from these complications and please know that our hearts and prayers are with you.

Heading to my knees now. May God give Abby an easy day she deserves that. I will pray for Gods wonderful healing hands to reach down and embrace Abby and you today and give the peace that only he can provide in hard times like this. All our love from Illinois.

I am praying even more for all of you. I pray that God comforts and heals Abby, and that he comforts you as you watch your precious girl suffer through this nasty disease. I'm putting a post on my blog right now!

You are in my thoughts and prayers as you stay with Abby in the hosptial. I know how hard those days are, as I've spent many of them myself at my daughter's bedside during her heart procedures. Trust in God and He will strengthen you and Abby.

i read this while working last night and immediately prayed for abby and for your family. may you feel the peace of God during this hard time. i pray abby is without pain and that if it is indeed time for her to be with her Jesus, that the road to Heaven will be swift and painless. i would love to hear, instead, that she is healed as quickly as she became sick, and am praying for God's sovereignty in all things.

Praying right now for Abby... acutally last night around 2 am I was woken by the Lord to pray for you and your family. I know that right now she is being Held by our Lord in His Mighty hands... I am praying that you are also held by those nail scarred hands... He loves you and He will be your comfort. He will walk you all the way through each moment, and each step with your sweet Abby!Praying,christy

last thing I tried to put the magazine on my side bar on the blog... I don't know how to do it... it would work ... and how could I receive one of those magazines each month. Please contact through my blog... or email me at sleepytoes@carolina.rr.com Thank you.

Brent and Michelle,My prayers are with Abby, your family and the doctors who are caring for her. It breaks my heart to read of her suffering and I cannot imagine how difficult this time is for your family.With love,Marianne

I just read your blog when I was directed to it by the freeman's link. I am so sorry that your beautiful daughter is fighting this battle right now. I am praying for her. I rejoice that Christ is with you in this battle. He is the healer and restorer and his strength alone can carry you through.

Dear Brent, Michelle and the rest of the Riggs Family,I read your updates constantly. I appreciate you posting so much so that we can always keep Abby in the forefront of our minds and prayers. My heart is breaking for all of you as Abby struggles with pain and this horrible illness. I am so glad that your faith is helping you through. It is amazing. Seriously. My prayers are for Abby's healing and continued health and strength for all of you. I see my own daughter in Abby's beautiful Guatemalan eyes - and marvel at your whole family. I know you give all credit to God... but you guys definitely doing something right. Much love.Melany

this is terrible. abby i will bring you at the feet of Jesus this morning, beautiful lil one. i am so sorry sorry that each and every one you has to go through this.i pray that your immunities get as high as ever and fight this nasty aweful disease! thoughts and prayers from Katy TX michelle i too will also being praying for peace and comforting for you. will be checking back often for updates. in Christbonny

I work with infants and toddlers with special needs. I realize how difficult it is for both of you, as parents, to watch your child suffer. I also understand how torn you feel leaving your other children at home.

Please know that the example of parenting a child in poor health is not going unnoticed by your other children. When they become parents they will remember the example you're setting and parent a child/spouse in need with as much love and caring.

Thank you for giving all of us in Blogland an update. We continue to pray for Sweet Abby, as well as your entire family. My sister is a Leukemia survivor (twice) so I know what you all are going through. God's blessings to all of you.

Hi Michelle and Brent. I was heavy duty in prayer for your family all through the night last night. I felt like the Lord gave me a vision that I wanted to share with you.

Last weekend I attended a leadership meeting for small group leaders in our church. The topic was prayer, and we ended talking about intercessory prayer. Someone made the comment that she thought of it as a bridge connecting the person needing prayer and God, and that when she is involved in intercessory prayer, she visualizes an actual bridge.Last night, over and over again, I kept getting a slightly different vision as I prayed. The Lord showed me many people (all of the people around the world who are praying for you all)on each other's shoulders- some standing and some sitting, but making this giant "ladder" up toward heaven. The two of you were at the top, holding and hoisting up precious Abby to the throne, in petition for Holy healing- whether on this earth, or in heaven, where there is no pain, there are no sores, there is no cancer. It was beautiful, and in my state of being half awake and half asleep, I wondered how far up towards heaven this "ladder" of people would go, knowing you must have hundreds of thousands praying for you all.

My daugheter sleeps on her bed in my room, and because we have a loud dog, and have had hard wood floors, she started needing to sleep with a sound machine.We still use it, and the sound of choice is rain. I awoke a number of times last night, hearing the machine, but somehow hearing it differently this time, keenly aware that the Lord was "raining down" healing upon Abby. I continued to pray for an end to her suffering- selfishly that she would miraculously start to produce the white blood cells, that the sores would heal, that her breathing would become "unjunked" and that the cancer would be gone...and that this miraculous healing would bring even just one person to know the love of Christ. But if that was not his will, that He would call her home and restore her body to perfect health.

I thank you for sharing your story and your faith with the world. It continues to be my hope, that in these most difficult times for you, that one, or that a multitude, would come to know the Lord!

My prayers continue. Wishing you many blessings and miracles TODAY!stephanie

I hardly ever comment (maybe only once before), but I have been following you guys almost daily and want you to know that I am praying for you and Abby and your family. God is so absolutely perfect and sovereign in what He allows to happen and how. Just rest in Him and trust His Character.